Chapter One

Summary

One of my earliest recollections of childhood days was a journey, which my parents and I made to Singapore. There was no causeway then across the Straits of Johor. We had to get into a ferry which carried us across to the train at Woodlands. The train journey from Woodlands to the city of Singapore took about an hour. When we landed at Singapore city, my parents hired a horse and carriage. Our journey to my parent's friend's house was a musical one, because the bells tied to the horses’ heads and bodies jingled as they trotted along.

My father's friend was a Chinese gentleman. His house in Singapore city was a shophouse type of building but to me, as a child, it appeared as a big, spacious building. The ground floor was used as a garage and it was full of cars. He was definitely a wealthy Chinese at that time, but years later when I grew up, I met him again. He had lost everything on tin mining.

Ours was a unique family. My father was reserved and hardly talked to anyone of us, and when we wanted to ask him for something, either money or some presents, we had to write to him. My memory of my mother, who died when she was in her early forties, is that of a vivacious woman, warm-hearted and great. She hardly knew any English, but she always surprised me by holding conversations with a lady friend of the family, who only spoke English, for hours on end. Although there were already nine of us in the family — four boys and five girls — both my parents were very fond of taking in Chinese girls as adopted children. I can only remember nine of them. They were brought up no different from my sisters, enjoying the same amenities, and being taught together how to cook and look after the house. They all married well and no one looking at them now could imagine that they were children of Chinese parents.

My paternal grandmother was very fond of travelling and this was made possible because she had many married daughters whose husbands were posted in many faraway places in the State of Johor and also because she enjoyed visiting her other relatives.